Palomar Mountain News

We had quite a snow last week!  13 inches on Crestline but not even half of that at our place about 150 feet lower in elevation.  We have NO snow at all now so I was so surprised to see how much is still on Crestline and Birch Hill.  That wet, heavy snow re-arranged a few trees ’round the mountain.  I was pretty thankful to be on this side of this oak blocking a driveway.

Oh look, one of the locals left his tracks in the snow, too!

As busy as ever with Real Estate,

Bonnie Phelps-got-my-power-walk-in!

It was so fun to hike through Friday’s big snow storm to change out the sign at Hi Ho Cabin.  Oh, you know, that little gem that was FREE with the purchase of TP and Soap!

I’m very happy to report the seller found some old photos of his time at the cabin that goes way back to a family friendship with the former owners.  He is putting the history together and will share some fun vintage photos with us real soon.

Many of you locals know Anne and Wayne, also known as A&W.  They are just as tickled as can be.  They will be having even more mountain fun with their newest cabin next door!  Please stay tuned and check out the very snowy Sign Change:

Beautiful sunset for you Friday night from one of our lookouts on Palomar.  We’re enjoying a lovely Easter weekend and hope the same for you.

Thinking of going to church today?  So many great choices!

Our church in Valley Center will be live at 9:30 today.  It is always so nice for me to be in that church since I’m always flooded with memories of my dad being the pastor there for 17 years starting in the late 1960’s.  We met the current pastor, Dave when he was 8 years old.  Their services are also archived on their YouTube channel.

Many of you have listened in nationwide to Dr. David Jeremiah from Shadow Mountain Church.   We’ve enjoyed visiting there occasionally since it is close by in El Cajon.  Their service is live several times today on line and you might be interested in their archives.  There is a great series on dealing with Anxiety of all that is going on.

Last week President Trump mentioned that he was going to tune into Greg Laurie’s message at Harvest in Riverside, CA.  His live services are repeating many times throughout the day and archived.

Many of you knew East Graders, Rick Balzer and Lyn Burke.  They were an active part of the Palomar community for 10 years.  They restored a small cabin on their land and then built a beautiful home.  It was Lyn’s passion to feed the birds.  About every two weeks they would drive over to Julian Bird Store and get 100 pounds of sunflower seeds and 50 pounds of their wild bird seed.  All their feathered friends were waiting at the cabin for them.  Even the turkeys had a feast with traveling back and forth, grazing under the bird feeders with Lyn and Rick watching the amazing show often just a few feet away from their deck.   She always seem to have a camera with her to capture many photos of their happy memories on Palomar.

LYN BURKE (1939-2020)

Dancing eyes have silenced. We are so saddened to report the sudden passing of our dearest, Lyn Burke, of Laguna Beach. Surely she is now saying with a mischievous smile, “COVID-19 is not going to get me” as she instead suffered an unfortunate fall outside her home on March 29th.

Christine Burke, Lyn’s daughter said, “I loved my mom. Nothing will ever separate us – I truly believe that. She was a fierce woman, loving, talented, intelligent, conscious, irreverent, funny, and incredibly creative.”

Lyn Burke was born and raised in Kennewick, WA and matriculated at Upper Columbia Academy, Spangle, WA where she was in the high school class of 1957. Lyn moved to Sacramento, CA where she worked in the office of California State Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally. There she met William A. Burke whom she married. In Sacramento Lyn pursued her studies in art which became a lifelong passion. Relocating to Los Angeles, the true light of her life, Christine Burke, was born in 1967.

In 1975 Lyn relocated permanently to Laguna Beach, CA. She was a single mom, raising Christine, working at Southwest Interior Gardens, Laguna Bank, Interior Design Institute, and pursuing her growing artistic talents. Despite that serious talent Lyn eschewed commercial notoriety instead using her art for family, friends and personal satisfaction.

In 1994 two single adults – Lyn Burke and Rick Balzer – found themselves volunteering together at the Laguna Beach High School snack bar during a football game where their two daughters, Christine and Shannon, attended school. By 2004 the couple were married and soon were celebrating their kid’s successes, doting on grandkids, and pampering beloved cats.

Lyn and Rick traveled to the four corners of the West Coast, North America, Mexico and the World. They built and enjoyed a vacation home at Palomar Mountain. Rick Balzer said, “I lost my best friend, guide star, and life partner. Lyn was an avid environmentalist and a supporter of many charities that cared for birds and animals. She loved literature, was an excellent artist, had a keen intellect, and a wonderful sense of humor. I salute you, my darling – you made my life complete.”

Lyn had long expressed an aversion to memorial services but said, “if you must, I want everyone to hear Lesley Gore’s song It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To“. Lyn Burke is survived by her husband Rick Balzer, daughter Christine Burke Adams, son-in-law Brian Adams, grandson Jack Adams, stepdaughter Shannon Palmer and her husband Tad Palmer grandchildren Adele and William Palmer. Due to the COVID-19 social protocols and Lyn’s wishes, no memorial service is planned.

Lyn loved literature and supported scores of charities mostly around the themes of nature, art, fur and feathers. Lyn would love your donation in her memory to the Nature Conservancy, Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA), or Laguna Art Museum (LAM).

You are invited to visit the website for Lyn:  LynBurkeMemories.com

Also, your written thoughts and memories would be appreciated by the family by simply commenting below – thank you!

Palomar Mountain is closed.  Not because of the snow.  Palomar is closed because of Coronavirus. Folks love to come up after a snow, but not this time. So sorry to be the bearer of this news.

The Observatory, Nate Harrison Grade, Mother’s Kitchen, General Store, State Park and all Campgrounds are closed.  Local traffic, residents and land owners need to be ready to show their resident visor hanger, a copy of their deed or electrical bill as everyone is to stay home.

This storm brought us about 10 inches of rain/snow/slush so far and falling heavy all morning.  The good news for us on State Park Road is that it is not accumulating at all.  When I see the plow go by, it looks like he is plowing a waterfall. Don’t think any of us are snowed in.  Even though it looks inviting out there, it is warmer, very wet and not a good snow for sledding, if that makes you feel a little better.

Also, I’ve seen Deputy Sheriffs out patrolling.  We have a lookout I see from my desk, across from our house. Yesterday, a deputy pulled in there and got out to enjoy the view.  Eventually a car I didn’t recognize, drove by, the deputy turned and looked.  The car was heated to the State Park and turned around at the Road Closed signs.  A couple minutes later the car came back, cruising along.  I’ve seen just a few cars the past week or so and guessed they were just out for some fresh air and really felt for them.  They picked a beautiful area, but the deputy was waiting, pulled out to follow them and turn on his lights because of the stay-home order.

Like to have a change of view? There are many photos waiting for you of fun snow days on MyPalomarMountain.com.  From the Snow page, here is one that might be the deepest snow on record for Palomar;  The Deep Snow of 1949.     From there, you can click through links to see many more pages of special snow days on Palomar.  Plus a video is waiting for you below…

Happy clicking through our snow today!

Have a blessed Easter Weekend,

Bonnie Phelps, Realtor

The past few years, more and more neighbors have relied on their cell phones and cancelled their old fashioned, plug into the wall ‘land line’ phones.  With CV creating all the extra use from our homes, cell phones have been in and out across Palomar Mountain.  Internet speed is taking us back to the dial-up days.  It is not uncommon to see half a dozen cars parked at a lookout up here, checking messages.

Thinking this to be awhile, you might want to consider having A&TT hook up that old fashioned phone again.  I’ve also been told that A&TT offers a package with internet up here and it works well.  A&TT: 800-310-2355  We have their ‘Message Center’ that has been wonderful.  Our VM is through their service and I roll my calls to my cell when out.  You can also roll your cell phone to your land line.  Be sure to have a phone that works even if the power goes out.  I got a new phone recently with two remotes that are convenient but don’t work, of course, during power outages.  But, there is also a phone on my desk with the cord between the handset and phone base that rings and works during outages.

All the best to you during this season in out lives,

Bonnie Phelps

(Yes, that is one of our Treasures, over a decade ago.  He has a birthday this week!  Judah will be 12 already.  Hello!  Where did the time go?!!)

Isn’t this a great sign Teresa McCarthy made and put up in their charming cabin?  (Such an artist!)  She posted it on Facebook a couple days ago.  I wasn’t surprised when she and Jim messaged me this morning asking what we could use from town. They were early birds in the city for groceries, took my order and delivered!  Wasn’t that nice?  They reported that the purple lupin is already blooming at the base of the mountain.  Can hardly wait to see it.

Jim and Teresa are living out their sign challenge:

Today

Who am I checking or connecting with?

What expectations of ‘NORMAL” am I letting go of?

How am I getting OUSIDE?

How am I moving my body?

What BEAUTY am I either creating, cultivating or inviting in?

Let’s all do our part to help one another.  Be kind.  Call your neighbor to just check in.  When we do pass each other on the road or picking up our mail, let’s key up our smiles and waves.  Smiling is contagious, too, you know.

Do you or someone you know need some encouragement or help?  Perhaps we can work together to make this stormy time a little smoother.  Just let me know.

Bonnie Phelps – appreciating so much being on our mountain!

Delivery service workers sure have my respect and deserve a huge dose of gratitude.  I was just turning out our lights and saw this van drive up.  It was 10:43 pm, way up here,  on the top of Palomar Mountain.  Royal explained that it is just like Christmas rush with such an increase in deliveries.  He is the office manager for Fed Ex and normally doesn’t do deliveries at all.  “We’re just trying to catch up and get your packages to you, but each day there are more and more…”

There were still several dozen boxes in his van.   He passed on the offer of coffee or hot soup.   Hope Royal and all the drivers out there get home safe tonight.   He does know the people of Palomar appreciate his dedication.

Thank you, thank you so much for keeping our packages coming, not just to our little mountain, but all across America and around the world!

Bonnie Phelps

Colorful quilts are getting some sun Ken at Lynda Ruth’s.  Many people have been gifted her mountain-made quilts;  Disabled Vets, Kids with Cancer, and the tiniest babies being cared for at local hospital NICU.

We met at a Fire Department BBQ and have been good friends ever since.  Over the years we’ve shared many meals and Lynda often brings her bag of yarn to crochet for a while  ’round the fire.  One year I was in awe as she achieved her goal of making a quilt a day.   On the phone a few days ago I asked what she was doing to stay busy during these past few weeks up here.  Making quilts!  So, I asked her to display them so I could take a pic to share.

Lynda called this morning, letting me know they were on the railing.  She took off on a hike (no cooties!) when I arrived and I ran up for the photo for you.  She was meeting up with Ken who is out cutting firewood.

Ken always has projects going as this is their third cabin on Palomar.  They just keep moving up!  The day I listed this one, we’d been invited for dinner.  I rolled in late (!!) when they were already sitting around the table.  “You just bought a new cabin”, I said,   “It even has a garage for Ken’s projects.  Do you want to see it now or have dinner first!?”  We did have that delicious dinner first, then ran over to see the cabin that they are hibernating in now.

What are YOU doing?  If you have something you’d like to share with PMNews, I’d love to turn it around to brighten the day for our neighbors and friends.

Hope you can get outside and enjoy our beautiful day!

Bonnie Phelps

Meeting my Title Team might spark a bit of joy today!

All of you property owners on Palomar have no idea how much Jeff Knapp and his team have helped this mountain with easement issues.  Jeff has hung in there for over 10 years, helped point me in the right directions, showed up at county and title offices to pled our case to get what was needed to cure most of the easement issues on Palomar.

When I first got my license, nearly 20 years ago, about 90% of the parcels on Palomar were landlocked.  I’ll never forget when a former title rep called and said his company just couldn’t do Palomar anymore.

Jeff to the rescue!  Now about 90% of the properties have legal, deeded access through documents that can be added to your title report as permanent records.  This adds value if you ever pulled permits to build or add on or sell your property.

Thanks Jeff, Kirby, Marvin and all the rest that help make my job so much easier.

Bonnie Phelps

Palomar Realtor since the beginning of the Century